What To Do Before Installing OMV4

I've been a Windows user since 1994 and that makes the Linux environment all new to me. I am in the dark as to how to get things rolling on a new NAS build, before I install the OMV4 iso. Right now I am putting together the NAS case and happened to think about a few issues.

My new ASRock AB350 Pro4 motherboard came with an installation CD. How do I get the network adapter, keyboard, sound, and other files for the motherboard installed since Windows is not available to me? Also, I will be using an ASUS CD/DVD read/write to install the OMV4 iso files. Will I need to install driver files for it? If so, how do I install those drivers?

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

Drivers are typically included with the kernel. That is part of why new kernels are released now and then: To add support for new hardware.

This can mean that it is difficult to install Linux on new hardware. It can take a few months before a new processor or a new laptop is fully supported. One workaround is to remove hardware. Install. And then update the installation. Sometimes the install media has not been updated and doesn't support some hardware. But after an update it might.

Yet another workaround might be to compile the kernel and included support for some specific hardware that way.

Still another workaround is to simply not use some specific hardware. I know that there has been problems with Ryzen motherboards with APU. But they can be avoided by not using accelerated graphics during the installation. Or select a low resolution/update frequency. After an upgrade of the kernel it might be possible to use accelerated graphics.

Sometimes one Linux distribution will work and another will fail.

Some hardware manufacturers provide downloads of drivers. Some add support to the next version of the Linux kernel. Some provide a custom built Linux distribution on CD that you must use. Many Linux users investigate how hardware manufacturers provide Linux support, how "open" they are, and choose what hardware to buy based on that. It doesn't matter if some hardware has amazing features if you are not able to use it as you'd like.

I have no idea if your MB/CPU combo is fully usable with Linux. Especially the graphics bit. But you don't need graphics for a OMV NAS. I run 4 OMV servers without any monitor. They don't even have a port to attach a monitor to.

Edit: Some quick searches on the internet seem to suggest that your MB is Linux friendly.

Typically you simply try to install and everything just works. If it doesn't, try to update the installation. If it still doesn't work return the software and demand your money back!

Most CD/DVD drives are going to work out of the box. Their interface specifications are, for the most part, boiler plate these days. The same applies to typical keyboards, a mouse, etc. Other than the start up and shut down "beeps", I doubt you'll get much sound out of an OMV server.
You can save your Windows drivers, in the event that you decide to load up Windows some day. (Even if you did, chances are, you'd still need to visit the OEM web site for the latest drivers. That's the way it is with Windows.)

Most driver issues surround accelerated Video cards and Sound devices. This kind of hardware is not even a consideration on the server side. If you don't have bleeding edge hardware (meaning your Mobo and CPU have been out and available for a year or two) chances are very good that a Linux CLI server OS will run on it without problems.

Adoby - Thank you for the nice informative run down. I appreciate the learning material . . . Albeit mostly new territory to me. I'll have to study and let sink in everything that you pointed out. It is easy material for you to recite but it is Greek to me. One of these days though I'll be up to speed. One more thing Adoby - what do you mean by ". . . If it doesn't, try to update the installation."??? What is it you are telling me to update???

flmaxey - I hear you on the sound and video information (no pun intended).

As you two may well remember my first experience with OMV4 was in a virtual environment with Windows 10. But, I don't want that. I just want to go a headless server - simplistic in it's design as it may be.

I think it was in my other thread [about OS drives] where someone had looked up on the internet and found that the MB was indeed Linux compatible. I followed their link and all resulting information did coincide with the fact that the ASRock AB350 Pro4 is fully Linux compatible.

Do I in turn understand the general concensus to be that if my motherboard supports Linux - then I should simply proceed unwavered and install the OMV4 and everything should set up??? When OMV4 installs will it set up the ethernet port etc. ???? Is there anything else at all that you two or anyone else can alert me to before I actually attempt the install of OMV4??? I'm glad I'm getting this stuff out of the way before trying the install. Should save some anxiety.

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

The one time I had trouble with OMV installing... (I think it was 1.0.. so a while ago). I was using a pretty new motherboard at the time. The easy way around it, was to simply install the Debian netinst iso, and then install OMV on top of it. As long you don't install all the crap a Netinst offers (dekstops, etc..) you'll end up with exactly the same system once you install OMV on top of it.

Easiest way to tell if this could help, is look at the publish dates for the OMV iso's, vs the Current Debian 9 ISO's... To be perfectly clear, this isn't a shot at Volker at all, just pointing out the obvious... being mostly a one man show he can't sit around and repack ISO's every time there is a kernel update... Obviously once you get OMV installed, installing to the most current kernel is a simple update... but this doesn't help you if the old kernel on the OMV iso doesn't support your hardware, but a newer kernel will/might.

To answer your question about ethernet, etc... as long as the drivers are in the kernel, the installer will take care of everything.. You'll just be hitting enter the whole way through the installer.

As long as you are not trying to do wierd things with your hardware, it should just work arter an install. Linux is great!

By updating an install I mean after an install, if something doesn't work, run an update. That may help by pulling in kernel updates. But in your case I suspect everything will just work fine from the beginning.

Thanks KM0201, flmaxey, and Adoby. I think I'm going to just download the iso, put it on a CD disc, make sure the bios is all copacetic with the 16gb ram, set the cd player as 1st boot, follow the TechnoDadLife install video on my laptop, install OMV4 onto the 120gb Kingston SSD, and plan on the best of all worlds taking place from there.

... One other thing.. Have you tried OMV in Virtualbox? It might alleviate some of your concerns with the installer if you give it a try.

Yes, that's is the process I used to determine if I and OMV4 were compatible. Once I liked the setup/environment I then made the determination to go ahead and jump into a NAS build. I'm a little bit ticked off at myself for the brain freeze and brain washing that all these years of Windows has created. I have yet to learn (via my own involvement, understanding, and deployment) as to why Linux is so great. Major mental reprogramming and learning curve ahead of me.

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

Having just watched the TechnoDadLife video for OMV4 Complete Installation I noticed he performed a RAID setup as he went through the process. Am I correct in concluding I do not have to go through that step -AND- if I want a Raid setup later in time I can easily initiate RAID even if disks have data on them?

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

What a bummer! After firing up the server build for the first time - nothing happens. This is the first time after 12 builds in the past 10 years that I have ever had this happen. Pressed the power button and the chassis fans all run but nothing else happens. No post beep, nothing on monitor, zilch. Power button won't turn off the machine. Reset button won't do anything. Only way to shut things down was to turn off PSU. I called ASRock for tech support on the motherboard but they are closed Dec 24th through January 5th, 2019. Guess I made a goof on an ASRock board. Oh well, don't know what to do to check everything out . . . never had this happen, so don't know how to proceed.

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

What a bummer! After firing up the server build for the first time - nothing happens. This is the first time after 12 builds in the past 10 years that I have ever had this happen. Pressed the power button and the chassis fans all run but nothing else happens. No post beep, nothing on monitor, zilch. Power button won't turn off the machine. Reset button won't do anything. Only way to shut things down was to turn off PSU. I called ASRock for tech support on the motherboard but they are closed Dec 24th through January 5th, 2019. Guess I made a goof on an ASRock board. Oh well, don't know what to do to check everything out . . . never had this happen, so don't know how to proceed.

Double check that the memory is compatible with the board and is installed in the correct slot(s).

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

What a bummer! After firing up the server build for the first time - nothing happens.

I hate it when that happens... but I've never had that happen. (Sorry, bad humor.)

Perhaps you should check that all is well "seated". Pop out memory modules, reinstall, disconnect and reconnect power plugs. If your Mobo has an aux power (4, 6, 8 pin) connector, make sure that's connected to the PS.
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One of the problems with tech, in the modern times, it that next to nothing is tested by human hands before it goes out the door. (At some point, OEM's decided that good quality control programs cost too much so some of them provide a warranty and let you be their quality control.)
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Usually, if a mobo has some sort of problem, you'd get BIOS beep codes. This is shear speculation but I'd like closer at the power supply. If one of the rails is dead that might produce the symptoms you've seen.

Since you said you've done more than a few builds over time, perhaps you have a PC that's fairly recent with good power supply you could borrow for a test? That's something you can do while waiting for ASRock tech support to reopen.

Also, perhaps your mobo will support 1 memory module installed. It wouldn't hurt to see what happens with one module installed, then the other.
(The idea is troubleshoot what you can and, if possible, narrow things down.)

... If your Mobo has an aux power (4, 6, 8 pin) connector, make sure that's connected to the PS.

I got pretty embarrassed when I saw that I had yet to connect the 8 pin power to the Mobo. There's nothing worse than getting embarrassed in front of a bunch of tech people. More things (front case fan) fired up but I still have no POST beeps or monitor display. Holding the case power button does power off the Server. Trying one stick of ram at a time in slot A1 proved nothing different in the scenario. The 24 pin PSU has been reseated a number of times. Huh.

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

Troubleshooting 101 on hardware:
Take motherboard out of case and place it on its cardboard box.
Reseat the processor and heatsink and fan
Connect only the monitor, power supply and one stick of RAM - check the manual for single RAM slot position.
When all is connected and seated correctly, power up the board by shorting the 2 power button pins (steady hand) on the motherboard with a flat screwdriver.

If all goes well you should get POST and the monitor comes on.

If it fires up, no POST and no monitor, triple check the connections and reseat everything again and try again - be patient, some motherboards do take a minute to initially fire up.
If no post, swap the RAM out, try another slot - RAM is one of the biggest causes of no post.
If still no POST, try without ram to see if fans spin.

There's nothing worse than getting embarrassed in front of a bunch of tech people.

We all make mistakes. It's all good.

(It's the folks that make the same mistake over and over, and insist that they're right, that can get under my skin. In these politically correct times we're told we should "hug" 'em - those who insist that the sky is green. I have problems with that so I guess I'm "intolerant".)

More things (front case fan) fired up but I still have no POST beeps or monitor display. Holding the case power button does power off the Server.

It sounds like you now 12V items powering up but there's more to a PC power supply than aux 12V. Unfortunately, there's no user friendly way to check voltages from the PS. It can be done but the PS must be loaded, so testing can be somewhat involved.

So, I guess the question is, do you have a power supply (in another PC) that has an 8 pin aux connector? I know that's a PITA but, it makes sense to narrow it down if you can. Otherwise, knowing what to return would be something of a puzzle.
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Oh, and check your CPU fan connection. Is the fan running? (If a fault is detected, that might stop boot process.)
Also, note that most motherboards will not start if the CPU is not detected. (Just throwing that out there.)

MrT10001 . . . Thanks for helping, I think I might eventually be putting your your post into action, but, I first have a few ideas. I have watched some online videos but they are not really getting me anywhere. I Could be all day trying to find a video that would. I have also unplugged the CD/DVD drive, SSD, WD 4TB Blue, and swapped out the Mobo speaker. Still no go. I am not questioning the monitor as it is the same one used by another PC. However, it is HDMI. I may swap out an HDMI monitor. BUt I don't think the DVI ports on the Mobo could be bad, but, then again . . .

So, that said . . . When my first motherboard was delivered, the FedEX driver left it sit out in the rain and snow without a plastic bag. The box got pretty wet, however, it did not appear as though any water made it into the Mobo. NewEgg replaced the board anyway and no one (FedEx) has yet to come and pick up the water damaged first board.

Next, I have another PC sitting directly next to where the Server will reside. The PC is running the VirtualBox OMV4. I am first going to power down that PC and swap out the power supply.

If that doesn't work then I am going to swap out the Mobo with the water board (chuckle). If that doesn't work I think I might have zeroed in on the APU as the culprit. Does everyone concur???

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.

flmaxey - I just read your last post. As you can see from post 18, you and I are currently on the same path.

I'm usually not regarded as humorous but here goes anyway . . . I have trouble with some things also. I usually put a bag over my head when I hug people I don't know -and- the sky is grey today - or - is it gray?

My offering to the tech world: The great thing about being a NOOB is - You'll always be a NOOB - because every day you'll learn something that you didn't know an hour earlier, and sometimes - many times over, all in the same day. Someday you may grow old but you'll never be too old or too smart to learn something NOO. That said . . . pay it forward.